Every Day Carry - EDC

[Randall]

Compact reading glasses.

I thought I'd start a thread on this (EDC) - I'm amazed one isn't already going. I know it's a US term, but it is probably something that many of us have been doing for most of our lives, carrying an EDC kit.

I have an urban kit and a bush kit. I won't go into detail here. The reason I wanted to post today is that I found an awesome pair of compact reading glasses. Until now I've been carrying a spare full size pair of glasses in a hard case. I don't often need them when I'm out, but it really makes the difference if I'm looking at map detail or trying to see is a bolt if hex or torx. I've stripped a few bolts on my mtb because of poor eyesight.

Anyway, I was in chemist wharehouse this morning and they have very compact reading glasses that fold. The arms are telescopic but they work OK without extending them too - they can clamp just behind my temple. Initially this is how I thought they were designed, but saw in the video (see below) that they were actually telescopic. The case they come in is well made and lined with something that feels like an artificial chamois. It could be mistaken for a cigarette lighter, it is that small. They come in generic magnifications. Only $20!

Short video showing the chemist wharehouse folding glasses

 

[Le Loup]

Many thanks for this post Randall. Do you know where these can be purchased? I searched the Chemist Warehouse site & there was nothing there.
Regards, Keith.

 

[Randall]

Many thanks for this post Randall. Do you know where these can be purchased? I searched the Chemist Warehouse site & there was nothing there.
Regards, Keith.

yes, I did that too looking for a link. I think they're also in other chemists. I first saw them in a non franchise chemist; that started the slow burn in my noggin . They were the same price. In the normal chemist they also had a chart set up so that you could see what magnification would work best for you.

Perhaps you could phone the chemist closest to you to see if they have them? I've only been into two chemists recently and they both had them. They are Foster Grant brand and labelled "Compact folding reader".

 

[Le Loup]

yes, I did that too looking for a link. I think they're also in other chemists. I first saw them in a non franchise chemist; that started the slow burn in my noggin . They were the same price. In the normal chemist they also had a chart set up so that you could see what magnification would work best for you.

Perhaps you could phone the chemist closest to you to see if they have them? I've only been into two chemists recently and they both had them. They are Foster Grant brand and labelled "Compact folding reader".

Many thanks Randall, I will check that out when next in the city.
Regards, Keith.

 

[Randall]

Swiss card lite - in my urban kit. Some of these things are duplicated elsewhere on me; knife, pen, light. Those are things I don't mind having a 2nd of though.

Swiss Army SwissCard Lite Features:

• Emergency Blade (Letter Opener)
• Stainless Steel Straight Pin
• Scissors
• Pressurized Ball Point Pen
• Tweezers
• Magnifying Glass
• Screwdriver (3mm)
• Screwdriver (5mm)
• Phillips Screwdriver (#00-0)
• Phillips Screwdriver (#1-2)
• LED Mini White Light
• Ruler (cm)
• Ruler (inches)

 

[Yamaotoko]

Swiss card lite - in my urban kit. Some of these things are duplicated elsewhere on me; knife, pen, light. Those are things I don't mind having a 2nd of though.

Swiss Army SwissCard Lite Features:

• Emergency Blade (Letter Opener)
• Stainless Steel Straight Pin
• Scissors
• Pressurized Ball Point Pen
• Tweezers
• Magnifying Glass
• Screwdriver (3mm)
• Screwdriver (5mm)
• Phillips Screwdriver (#00-0)
• Phillips Screwdriver (#1-2)
• LED Mini White Light
• Ruler (cm)
• Ruler (inches)

View attachment 29261

These are great little tools, I’d never seen them until I meet my wife and she carried over in her purse… I knew then she was a keeper!

 

[Le Loup]

At home I carry a clasp knife, a small whetstone, my driving glasses & a box of matches.
When camping I wear a small belt pouch containing tinderbox & steel & a sundial compass. I carry reading glasses & a clasp knife in my waistcoat pockets. Hunting knife, legging knife, a tomahawk & a flintlock gun. These are with me at all times should I leave camp & leave my main pack in my shelter.
Keith.

 

[Randall]

At home I carry a clasp knife, a small whetstone, my driving glasses & a box of matches.
When camping I wear a small belt pouch containing tinderbox & steel & a sundial compass. I carry reading glasses & a clasp knife in my waistcoat pockets. Hunting knife, legging knife, a tomahawk & a flintlock gun. These are with me at all times should I leave camp & leave my main pack in my shelter.
Keith.

There are a few things I keep in my pack, dependent of kits; compass, pen and pad (in a clip lock bag), nut bars, water, and now those fold up glasses. If I'm close to evening I'll carry a headlight too, rather than depend on my backup torch.

Yes, it's a great point re pack. Sometimes I session jumps. I'm mostly alone and aware that I could come to grief on a jump - so I leave my pack somewhere near the landing area and just hope that I'll be able to get to it if something happens . That's the weakness of my setup - I'm dependent on my daypack. The only thing I keep on me is a small folding knife and a wrist watch. All other times my pack is with me, even socially.

Historically I've copped a few injuries while riding or even more extreme walks, so I'm conscious of that too. Roller bandage and triangular bandage, pain killers, phone - I keep it off so that I have battery if it is needed. Often there is no signal, but if I have it I can still use gps, or may be able to get signal from higher up. It is also another light source, compass etc.

 

[Randall]

Knipex cobra xs (4") multi grips

I've pinched this post from elsewhere on this forum because I think this is where it belongs:

I've had the cobra xs in urban and bush edc kits for a while now. I really like them. The pliers are precise and can be used for fine work; they can also be used for undoing nuts up to 24mm but can also grab other stuff up to 28mm diameter. The teeth are supposedly hardened to 60 hrc! They only weigh 62g. I've used my urban pair the most. The last time I used them was to operate a water tap that was missing the handle. The tap was on the wall of a public building; the handles are often removed so that people can't leave the taps running. I was out with basil the staghound and it was hot - lots of heat coming off the footpath etc. I carry drinking water but wanted to really wet him down. With the pliers it was pretty easy to open and close the tap - I filled the water bottle muliple times to wet Basil down on some nearby lawn (a win win).

I also used them to retrieve some date nails from a very old railway sleepers. There's a rail line through Maydena and it finishes at what used to be a forestry depot. I imagine they loaded logs on the train. The line has been abandoned for a long time, and the sleepers being wood have date nails in them. I got a heap out using the knipex multi grips - piece of cake. 72 was the oldest, 75 was unique (broader head), 75, 76 and 78. Probably about 20 of them.

 

[Randall]

SAK handyman. This is in my bush kit.

I keep it in a piece of mtb inner tube zip tied one end, the other end folds over and is held with a rubber band. I've actually used inner tube rubber on a few fixes. I've also pinched the rubber band from this as well, replaced it, then pinched it again. So everything with this knife has potential multiple uses and is up for grabs - including the key ring. It also has a hootchy cord lanyard in quick deploy easy to make 2 strand weave. It's about 6" long but will give me around 40cm I think - enough for a boot lace or to pull apart a chain that has a joining link. Lots of other uses too, I'm sure. I've used this sak to manufacture fixes quite a few times. Everything on a sak has a potential use sooner or later, see Felix Immler's youtube channel for some ideas. I did have a set of features I wanted as core, the rest are an added bonus. Scissors, file/hacksaw, wood saw, pliers, blade, tweezers, awl (predominantly for drilling holes). You can see my choices pretty much cover manufacturing or repairing things. I've added a sewing needle - there's a hole for the sak pin near the corkscrew pivot. I've also added the tiny screw driver that lives in the corkscrew. The pliers are very fine - I've used them as tweezers when the true tweezers are too light duty. I've also used the pliers for removing foreign objects from wounds (little stones, sticks etc). They're handy but very light duty, one of the reasons I also carry the knipex multi grips - they can take any force I'm able to apply. I usually carry a separate small folding knife, so the blades on this are a backup. The big flat screw driver is an awesome lever. The pliers can also cut wire - you can see the notch behind the jaws. Each side of the pliers has a notch - when the pliers are open you can lie a piece of wire through both open notches. They kind of cut like a scissor action. I consider the chisel the least useful thing on this - I haven't used it yet.

 

[Yamaotoko]

SAK handyman. This is in my bush kit.

I keep it in a piece of mtb inner tube zip tied one end, the other end folds over and is held with a rubber band. I've actually used inner tube rubber on a few fixes. I've also pinched the rubber band from this as well, replaced it, then pinched it again. So everything with this knife has potential multiple uses and is up for grabs - including the key ring. It also has a hootchy cord lanyard in quick deploy easy to make 2 strand weave. It's about 6" long but will give me around 40cm I think - enough for a boot lace or to pull apart a chain that has a joining link. Lots of other uses too, I'm sure. I've used this sak to manufacture fixes quite a few times. Everything on a sak has a potential use sooner or later, see Felix Immler's youtube channel for some ideas. I did have a set of features I wanted as core, the rest are an added bonus. Scissors, file/hacksaw, wood saw, pliers, blade, tweezers, awl (predominantly for drilling holes). You can see my choices pretty much cover manufacturing or repairing things. I've added a sewing needle - there's a hole for the sak pin near the corkscrew pivot. I've also added the tiny screw driver that lives in the corkscrew. The pliers are very fine - I've used them as tweezers when the true tweezers are too light duty. I've also used the pliers for removing foreign objects from wounds (little stones, sticks etc). They're handy but very light duty, one of the reasons I also carry the knipex multi grips - they can take any force I'm able to apply. I usually carry a separate small folding knife, so the blades on this are a backup. The big flat screw driver is an awesome lever. The pliers can also cut wire - you can see the notch behind the jaws. Each side of the pliers has a notch - when the pliers are open you can lie a piece of wire through both open notches. They kind of cut like a scissor action. I consider the chisel the least useful thing on this - I haven't used it yet.

View attachment 29266

My all time favourite SAK is the Harvester, it’s not a common one to find, but is something I use every single day in one way or another (well, until it got lost at a friend’s beach house a couple months ago!). It’s essentially an Alox Farmer, but swap out the can opener for a small hawkbill pruning blade. Sometimes I wish they’d kept the can opener rather than the larger bottle opener, but then I have to pry something and appreciate the larger screwdriver. The saws on these have fantastic bite.

Since misplacing mine (although I’m 90% sure I know where it is) I’ve looked at the new Harvester-X, which is the same but includes scissors. That would definitely make it a belt-only knife for me, the standard Harvester/Farmer is great in pocket, but I wouldn’t want it to be any thicker.

 

[Randall]

My all time favourite SAK is the Harvester, it’s not a common one to find, but is something I use every single day in one way or another (well, until it got lost at a friend’s beach house a couple months ago!). It’s essentially an Alox Farmer, but swap out the can opener for a small hawkbill pruning blade. Sometimes I wish they’d kept the can opener rather than the larger bottle opener, but then I have to pry something and appreciate the larger screwdriver. The saws on these have fantastic bite.

Since misplacing mine (although I’m 90% sure I know where it is) I’ve looked at the new Harvester-X, which is the same but includes scissors. That would definitely make it a belt-only knife for me, the standard Harvester/Farmer is great in pocket, but I wouldn’t want it to be any thicker.

scissors, saw, awl and a multi use lever (bottle opener, large flat head screwdriver and that notch for wire work). It looks very functional. Those features are in my "must have list".

The stuff I list here is what I like and use. I don't see the point of carrying something that you might use once in 10 years - a lot of the US based EDC seems to be like this. I assume that people find what works for them. I think it is good to have something though - be a bit pro active. It's good if you find something that suits you and you use it . I think it is also a mind set too - that's why I like saks; there's a whole community out there (like Felix Immler) looking for alternative uses for the tools in them. It makes me think of everything having multiple uses, even boot laces.

At one point when I lived in Melbourne, the only thing I carried was a sak classic. Very minimalist and everything on it is useful. Even the nail file - I often used that for filing plastic or wood.



Keith always having a box of matches in his pocket - that is something I remember in my youth with many farmers . I imagine it was borne out of Keith's experience of living a similar life to those farmers. Or they're just a bunch of fire bugs

I like seeing what other people have and what works for them.

 

[Randall]

OK, I was carrying alcohol swabs around in my kits. I had a stack today, and really they're useless for anything much bigger than a needle site, which is probably all they're meant for. The wound is about 6cm square and covered in dirt. I used 3 swabs then gave up. Otherwise I was good. A roller bandage, non stick dressing, elastoplast tape to keep the bandage done up, and scissors on my sak. I'm replenishing the kit with a few more dressings and a tiny bottle of dettol. I'll dump the swabs - they're only good for starting fires. The bottle is an ex single use shampoo bottle - I keep small bottles for stuff like this. I find that if I'm bandaged up pretty well, I feel as confident as ever re finishing the ride or walk. I've labelled the bottle - I have a label maker. I've wrapped a rubber band multiple times around the area between the lid and bottle - this should hold the lid from moving, and it gives me another rubber band to use if needed.

 

[Yamaotoko]

…they're useless for anything much bigger than a needle site…

Interesting observation re the swabs. My wife is on a medication which she injects every fortnight, so we’ve got a stash of swabs, I’ve always kept a few tucked in my bag, but I use them so infrequently that by the time I need them any printing has rubbed off the packs and I can’t tell what’s a medi-prep and what’s a KFC hand wipe!

 

[Randall]

Single AAA battery emergency torch.

The light I bought is the Olight i3T EOS. I'm happy with it; it only has features that are useful. It has a low setting of 5 lumens - this is actually fine on well used single track. Supposedly with a fully charged battery, this will give me 16hrs. That's enough to cover me walking all night with occasional use of the high mode. 5 lumens is the default mode; turn it on and that's what you get.

The high mode is 180 lumens. This is enough to pick up the eyes of animals in the bush or up trees. It was enough to blind my dog when he started to chase a possum (I muzzle him at night time). If it is kept on high mode, I've got 21 minutes of run time.

The spread of the light is great, perfect for nighttime walking. It doesn't have a hot spot in the center, it just seems like a uniform spread and a nice beam angle.

The button has a soft press mode which will activate the 5 lumens while the button remains partially pressed - this is handy if you're just checking out a sign or your watch; something like that. If you soft press twice you get the 180 lumens on the 2nd soft press. If you want to stay on 180 lumens, just complete the press. The other way to get to 180 lumens is hard press on (5 lumens), hard press off, hard press on (180 lumens). This has to be done within 2 seconds, otherwise the 2nd press will just turn it off.

This is only meant as a backup light for when things go wrong or I stuff up. I have an ancient headlamp that uses a 4 x aa battery pack. It's awesome and it lasts for many 1.5 - 2hr nighttime walks with Basil the staghound. The problem is that I don't have any warning when it is starting to go flat. It starts to go dim quickly towards the end of the battery life. Normally I'd carry a single aa handheld torch to cover losing my headlamp on a walk - and keep the backup as a backup. I use the same pack for everything, so I'm always pulling stuff out and putting stuff in that I think I'll need - I'd left the torch out. That's what the backup is for; it's always there day or night.

If you have some sort of edc kit, I can really recommend this light. I definitely recommend carrying something like this but only treating it as a backup.

Oh, the clip! It's really good. When we hit street lights I just clip the torch into my pocket - easy one-hand operation and easy to access again. In the picture you'll see that the clip is doubled - it's for clipping to the peak of a cap; I haven't used that feature yet.

 

[Randall]

Peanut lighter

This is in my urban kit. I carry it for convenience. For example I've only used it for lighting stoves in accommodation where the electronic ignition wasn't working and for sealing the ends of nylon cord and rope, lighting mozzie coils, shrinking heat shrink etc.

The beauty of this is that I can leave it for a year or so and it is still good. I do top it up every now and then, roughly yearly. It barely takes anything, but I like to be sure it's ready if I need it. It's only ever taken a fraction of a teaspoon of petrol; I've never emptied it though.